Damage assessments, disaster response under way following Thursday's storms

The Old Salem Village Apartments on Buncombe Road are in one of the harder-hit areas of Thursday's storms.

Lots of damage in Forest Estates Mobile Home Park on Buncombe Road.

A command post has been set up at the Barron Road Baptist Church in Keithville at 1102 Barron Road (Source: Sandy Davis, CBOHSEP)

An elderly man had to be rescued from his home the Blue Ridge Mobile Home park on Thursday.

CADDO-BOSSIER PARISH, LA (KSLA) -

Clean-up and damage assessment is under way in several areas across the ArkLaTex following Thursday's storms, and the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (CBOHSEP) wants to get the word out about resources available to those needing assistance.

A command post has been set up in one of the hardest-hit areas of Caddo Parish, where a relief team is assisting with tree and debris removal. That command post, set up by the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Team, is located at the Barron Road Baptist Church in Keithville at 1102 Barron Road.

Those in need of this kind of assistance can contact the command post at (318) 759-0236. Priority will be given to the elderly and disabled.

Winds brought trees and power lines down in the Linwood/Barron Road area, and caused damage that is delaying the restoration of power in the area. AEP SWEPCO says their crews can't get to some areas because of all the damage.

The Caddo Sheriff's Office is conducting traffic control in the 12200 block of Mansfield Road in front of Keithville Elementary School, where a power outage has taken out the traffic lights.

Deputies are also conducting traffic control on Jefferson Paige Road and Highway 80, while SWEPCO crews work to repair power lines.

According to CBOHSEP, the Louisiana DOTD and Public Works Departments continue to clear debris from public roads.

The American Red Cross shelter opened Thursday night at Grace United Methodist Church in the 9400 block of Ellerbe Road remains open for anyone in Caddo or DeSoto parishes needing shelter. Assistant Executive Director Michelle Davidson says there are a few people there now, and they expect several more Friday night. Most of those needing shelter have no power at home and require electricity for medical reasons.

In addition to the shelter, the Red Cross has four disaster assessment teams and two emergency response food trucks providing meals. Anyone needing assistance from the Red Cross can contact them at (318) 865-9545.

Davidson says those disaster assessment teams were still discovering "pockets of damage" Friday.

In addition to the Linwood/Barron Rd. area, teams are reporting "concentrated areas" of damage at the Blue Ridge Mobile Home park and the Old Salem Village Apartments on Buncombe Rd. and Forest Mobile Estates on Bert Kouns Industrial Loop are among those hard-hit, along with the Whippoorwill mobile home park just south of the Caddo/DeSoto line.

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